
Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD
Editorial Director,
Dentaltown Magazine
 |
I recently returned from CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry (informally
known as CDA North), in San Francisco. Many companies introduced new
products at the show, and I found myself saying ‘that’s cool,’ more often than I should
at my age. Before we explore these new arrivals, I think it is important to note that
new innovations are coming in spite of the current economy because many of these
products began development before the economy went sour. This leads me to wonder
if there will be a lull in exciting new products 18 months from now, when the
budget cuts of today catch up with research and development. I hope not.
The following products caught my eye at the CDA meeting, and in each case I was
treated to a great demonstration of the product highlights. Needless to say, there were
many fine new products at CDA, but limited space prevents their appearance in this
column. I encourage readers interested in new products to check out the new products
section on page 89-90, our weekly e-Newsletter and, of course, Dentaltown.com.
Dexis Sensor
The big brains at Dexis have just unveiled their newest sensor, Dexis Platinum.
They took one of the industry’s leading sensors and completely redesigned it from end
to end. I have three of the original Dexis sensors in my practice and I could immediately
appreciate the improvements. A few of the highlights: USB connection – no
more clumsy card plugged into a box or the side of a laptop. You now have a connection
that everyone understands. Added durability in both the cable and sensor body,
which everyone can agree is necessary when you have multiple hands handling expensive
electronics. There is also a noticeable decrease in overall thickness of the sensor as
well as a huge improvement in image quality.
Griptab from Triodent
For those who have not experienced the genius that is Triodent, you should know
that this company was literally born on Dentaltown. Many years ago, Dr. Simon
McDonald, a dentist from New Zealand, introduced a matrix system he had developed
in his spare time. Now the company is thriving with a growing number of clever gadgets
to solve common clinical problems. The Griptab is a small plastic tab that you
attach to your indirect restorations with a temporary adhesive. This provides a handle
to hold the restoration safely during bonding and cementation procedures. When you
are finished the tab simply peels off clean.
Pearl from PracticeWorks
This next product made my BlackBerry Tour jealous. I have Dentrix practice management
software in my office and the good people at PracticeWorks showed me what
I’m missing. Their new software is an add-on called Pearl. This application can be
installed on your BlackBerry or iPhone and it provides real-time access to Kodak
PracticeWorks, Softdent, Orthotrac and WinOMS CS practice management software.
This is not a program that syncs data for one moment in time, this is live access that
allows you to view all parts of the patient record and add items as needed. You even
have the ability to view patient X-rays. This is an elegant way to make follow-up calls
to patients from home or a brilliant way to handle after hours calls from anywhere you
can receive a phone call on your cell phone.
If you have recently purchased a new product and have a desire to share your experiences,
please visit Dentaltown.com and join the discussion. We are always open for
business. If you want to share a thought with me, send it to tom@dentaltown.com. |